THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

Star-mangled banners healed by veteran

Shamefully tattered, ripped, neglected American flags

Shamefully tattered, ripped and neglected American flags have long caught the eye of Dominick Papa, a Queens World War II veteran on a mission to restore respect to the national emblem.

“Nobody thinks anything about it,” said Papa. “They think more about Halloween decorations than their son or their uncle who was in the service.”

Known as “The Flagman” of Howard Beach, Papa launched a one-man reconnaissance operation to replace tattered flags 35 years ago and has since donated more than 1,000 pristine Stars and Stripes to businesses, schools, churches, cemeteries, veterans organizations, police precincts and fire stations.